9 comments:

I think we need to focus on the remembrance going on in Egypt. Bush may have made a mistake in Iraq, although I think the mistake, if any was nation building. We should have flattened Afghanistan and left. The next time we will.

MSNBC played the Today Show this morning as it happened that day at the exact same time. I just happened to wake up at the same time I did that day and switched on the TV to see just what I did 11 years ago at the same time in the same way. It was eerie.

I have been reading up on the events of the day recently, and it was strange to see how unexpected the truth of that day was as it unfolded live. To listen to them talking, unaware that the buildings were about to fall, and watching emergency response people heading toward the buildings and knowing they were not coming back out. I just wanted to yell out to them to stop.

Wikipedia is a good way to review the events of that day. With all the links embedded in the articles, you can really explore the branches of what happened, how, and who it happened to.

In reading of the actual hijackings on the planes which were pretty horrific, I was repeatedly struck by how impossible it would be today. The entire thing hinged on people believing they would be taken to Cuba or somewhere and get out of it unhurt. Each plane had only five physically unimpressive young men armed only with small knives against dozens of people. A few people fought back, but very few until it was too late.

Slaughter almost always hinges on lack of resistance. As the Jews say - never again.

I was a captain for American Airlines, and a retired Air Force Pilot. I was scheduled to work on 9/11, but due to the first case of poison ivy in 40+ years, I called in sick. There were many thoughts, as you can imagine, but mine centered on two things. First, all our training in dealing with such situaitons played directly into their hands. Second, security at airports was aimed at giving the appearance of security to the passengers. It was also done at the least possible cost. One of the great tragedies is that this has never been made clear.